Method of making stainless steel double sinks



1950 F. E. ZEIGLER ETAL 2,520,486

METHOD OF MAKING STAINLESS STEEL DOUBLE SINKS Filed Sept. 3, 1946 INVENI'OEJ' A770 JVEK Patented Aug. 29, 1950 METHOD OF MAKING STAINLESSSTEEL DOUBLE SINKS Frank E. Zeigler, Burbank, and George Montrose,Calif,

Application September 3, 1946, Serial No. 694,492

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to kitchen sinks and has particular reference toimproved methods of formin stainless steel sinks.

The kitchen sink of days gone by was made of wood, and the life of suchsinks was quite limited, besides being unsanitary. Today this type ofsink is almost entirely discarded in favor of the enameled cast ironsink, at least in the larger towns and cities.

Such cast iron sinks are, however, quite heavy, and the enamel issubject to wear, to cracking and chipping. It has, for this reason, beenthe aim of manufacturers to produce a sheet metal sink and, with theadvent of hard and tough, rust resisting metal alloys, commerciallyknown as stainless steel, Monel metal and the like, it would seem thatthe cast iron sink has had its day.

Such steel alloys are, however, so hard and tough that they are quitediflicult to press or draw into the shape ordinarily found in sinks.

In View of the foregoing, it is the object of the present invention toprovide a metal sink made from thin, corrosion resisting sheet metal. Itis a further object to provide a sheet metal sink capable ofwithstanding ordinary use without denting or cracking.

The conventional, single basin sink is now being replaced by the moreconvenient double sink, at least in the larger cities and in more modernhomes. But the manufacture of such double sinks, when such material asstainless sheet steel is used, is attended by additional difficultiesand has so far only been successfully done on a relatively small scale.

It is, in view thereof, a further object of our invention to provide animproved method of producing such corrosion resisting sheet metal sinks.

These and the further objects of the invention will be better understoodfrom the following description and by referring to the accompanyingdrawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding side elevational view with aportion thereof broken away for the sake of clearness; and

Fig. 3 shows two identical single basin sinks, and this View is added inorder to facilitate perusal of the following detailed descriptionexplaining my improved method of producing the type of sheet metal sinkillustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring in the first instance to Fig. 3, it is noted that duplicate,single basin sinks l and 2 are formed in the same die with wide flangesi 2, whereupon the adjacent flanges of the sinks Rgliiarris,

are trimmed back, as indicated at l I at the point where the flangescommence to curve into the inclined side walls 1, 2, of the basins.

The two sinks are thereupon pushed together and the abutting edges I 2are welded together to form a one-piece, double basin sink. The device 3in this manner produced is then put under the press and the outer edgesof the top flange are drawn upwardly to form a rim 3 which completelyencompasses the sink.

This rising rim is advantageous for various reasons. It is importantbecause it serves to anchor the sink more solidly within the tiling orother sheathing forming the drain board of modern sinks. Anotheradvantage of the rising rim is that it checks the flow of any waterwhich may leak under the head of the drainboard within which the rim isanchored. In drawing the basins of the sink, the metal becomes soseverely distorted that it is difficult to obtain a perfectly flat topflange. But it is found that the flatness of the flange is restored atthe time the rim is formed. This is a further advantage of the rim.

In the sheet metal double sinks which have come to my notice, a ratherwide, flat top band extends across the sink between the two basinrecesses. Such flat band is objectionable because dripping water tendsto gather thereon and running water, striking the band, causesdisagreeable splashing. But when the two sinks are trimmed and combinedas above described, it is noticed that the center ridge 3 between thetwo basins is narrow and perfectly rounded. No water can gather on suchridge and splashing is substantially eliminated.

The weakest part of a sheet metal double sink is through the middle ofthis center ridge. But when the ridge is circular, as shown and themarginal rim 3 is added it is found that the structure is considerablystrengthened and that thinner metal may be used than is ordinarilyrequired.

It is seen from the foregoing that we have provided a simple andinexpensive method of combining two single recess sinks into a one piecedouble sink of improved construction, lightness and strength.

We claim:

The method of constructing a double sink from stainless sheet steelwhich consists in drawing duplicate single sinks, each having inclinedside walls tangent at the top to an outwardly curved portion whose'crosssection is circular and of small radius and merges smoothly into a widehorizontally directed flange forming a rectangu- Iar unbroken marginsurrounding the recess of the sink, in trimming the flange at only oneside of each sink on a line parallel with the outer edge of the flangeand at the beginning of the curvature downward into the adjacent sidewall, placing the trimmed edges of the sinks together to form a topridge portion circular in cross section andnarrower than the smallestridge which could be'obta-ined by drawing both sinks integrally from oneblank, welding the abutting edges of said ridge together to produce theone-piece double sink and of drawing the outer edges there- 1 4REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 110,900 Kraemer Aug. 16, 19382,189,372 Stangebye Feb. 6, 1940 2,246,051 Leslie June 17, 1941 102,305,866 Graf Dec. 22, 1942 2,447,788 Ball Aug. 24, 1948

